Flat-opening case



Dec-l 1934- c. J.SCHELL 1,985,521

FLAT OPENING CASE Filed June 4, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Charles Isa/rel Dc. 25, 1934. c. J. SCHELL FLAT OPENING CASE Filed June 4, v1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 25, 1934 'FLAT-OPENIN G CASE Charles J. Schell, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to Schell Leather Goods Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a. firm composed oi Charles Schell and Albert N. Schell I Application June 4, 1934, Serial No. 728,837

Claims.

This invention relates to a flat-opening case, portfolio, sales pack, toilet case, traveling case. or similar device.

An object of the invention is to provide a case of this kind which is adapted to be fully opened or closed in an instants time and with a minimum of effort and'of movement of the parts of the case.

Another object is to provide a case formed in such manner as to assure maintenance of proper shape of the device over a long period of use.

' Another object is the provision of a case having novel hinge means associated therewith and designed to function as wall supporting means as well as hinge members; Another object is to provide a case of the kind described having a novel and eflicient frame Ill) structure incorporated therein.

Another object is to provide a case adapted to be produced efficiently and at a minimum of expense.

These and other objects are attained. by the means described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the case of this invention in closed position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, parts being broken away. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the case in opened position.

Heretofore the so called flat-opening" types of cases have invariably possessed a number of disadvantages among which the constriction of the bottom portions upon opening thereof was one of. the most apparent. The constriction noted tended to decrease the efliciency of the device in question due to the humping up along the bottom and the consequent restriction of space and likewise to the consequent wear which occurred along the bottom portions as a result of the frictional contact of parts.

These disadvantages and others of a similar nature have been obviated by the means of the present invention which provides for a flat-opening case in which the action of opening and closing is absolutely free and unrestricted, in which all constriction of parts along the bottom has been obviated and in which other forms of closures have been replaced by a weatherproof telescopic lit in which wear between the parts is practically obviated. Various other advantages will be apparent throughout the course of the following description.

With reference to the drawings, the case com prises a pair of body sections 5 and 6 which are formed upon a pair oi. U-shaped metal'frames 7 and 8, whichare preferably L-shaped in cross section, as seen in Fig. 2. A single sheet of leather or other covering material forms the face members 9 and 10 and the bottom piece 11.

(Cl. ISO-1.6)

Each frame '7 and 8 is covered by suitable material which is connected as at 12 and 13 with the face members 9 and 10 and which forms the top edge-walls 14 and 15 and the side edge-walls 16 and 17. It will be seen in Figs. 1 and 2 that the lower ends of the edge-walls 16 and 17 extend down and abut the bottom of the case in the closed position thereof. The edge-wall material is associated as at 18 and 19 (Fig. 2) with frame covering material 20. This latter material is arranged to hold the frame members '7 and 8 with one flange projecting inwardly of the portfolio andthe other flange forming the outer edges of the edge-walls. It will benoted in Fig. 2 that the .frame '7 may be of slightly greater dimensions than the frame 8 so that the former is adapted to snugly embrace frame 8 and form thereby a weatherproof closure.

The bottom piece 11 has secured to its inner face a stiffener 21 and this may be covered by f a strip 22 of suitable face material. It will be seen in Fig. 3, that the stiffener 21 terminates short of the ends of the bottom piece 11. In the end spaces thus provided there are positioned transverse metal strips 23 and 24 which may be secured in place by means of rivets 25 passing through the bottom piece 11 into said metal strips 23 and 24. The outer ends of strips 23 and 24 each has hingedly connected thereto one end of a hinge member 26. For this purpose the end portion of hinge member 26 may be formed with a pair of oppositely disposed ears 27 and the ends of the strips 23 and 24 may be turned up and rolled so that a pin 28 may be inserted through the ears and roll thus provided for hingedly mounting the hinge member.

It will be seen in Figs. 1 and 2 that the outer flanges of the U-shaped frames 7 and 8 extend to such length as to meet thebottom of the case when the latter is closed as at 29. The inwardly projecting flanges, however, are cut short and may be rolled upon themselves to form hinge mountings for the other ends of the hinge members 26. These ends of the hinge members may be mounted in the same manner as already de scribed. It will be noted by reference to Fig. 2' that the hinge members may. be formed to provide small shoulders 30 which: contact the adjacent portions 31 of the supporting flanges to provide for smooth and solid movement and positioning of the hinge means.

As seen in Figs. 1 and 2, when the case is closed, the hinge members are disposed against the stiff bottom of the case in substantiallyparallel relationhip therewith so that there is no constriction of the space at the bottom of the case by the hinge means. In Fig. 3 the open position of the case is illustrated. It will there be observed that the device may be opened out flat without restriction of any kind since both the ends of the edge-walls and of the U-shaped frames are free relative to the bottom of the case. In this position the hinge members 26 project upwardly in an approximate right angular relationship with the supporting flanges of the frames 7 and 8. In this manner the edge walls of the portfolio are in reality supported and maintained in proper shape by the hinge members 26 so that no breaking down of said walls results.

The interior of the case may be provided with suitable pockets 32 and the bottom may have attached thereto the loose leaf retaining means 33. The case illustrated is particularly adapted for use by sales representatives in which a very efiective and immediate display of the material to be presented to a prospective purchaser may be achieved. The outer or edge flange of the frame 5, as seen in Fig. 3, may have associated therewith suitable lock means 34 and the corresponding flange of the frame 6 may have secured thereto a catch means 35 which cooperates with said lock. It is obvious that the device may be instantaneously opened and closed and that there is practically no resultant wear due to the operations such as would occur with other types of closure means. Moreover, in the present case, the engaging edges thereof are those which have the metal incorporated therein so that the wear is minimized and proper shape retained.

Numerous other types of interior fittings and proportions of the case as a whole, such as suggested previously, may be provided in adapting the invention to various uses.

Modflcations become apparent upon consideration of the means just disclosed and these are believed to be comprised within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A flat-opening case comprising a pair of body sections formed with edge-walls at the top and sides, a bottom connecting said sections, the lower ends of said side edge-walls being free relative to said bottom and a hinge member associated with each of said lower ends, each member having one extremity hingedly connected with said bottom and the other extremity connected to the end of the associated edge-wall, said hinge means being adapted tomaintain aligned relationship of said body sections and to afford free movement of said edge-wall ends into and out of abutting relation with said bottom in the closing and opening of the case, said members in the closed position of the case being adapted to lie against said bottom in substantially parallel relationship therewith and in the flat-opened position of the case to project upwardly in substantially right angular relationship with said bottom for providing support forsaid edge-walls.

2. A flat-opening case comprising a pair of body sections each formed on a U-shaped frame and provided with edge-walls at the top and sides, a bottom connecting said two sections, the ends of the side edge-walls and of theframes being free relative to said bottom and a hinge member associated with each of the frame ends, each member having one extremity hingedly connected to said bottom and the other extremity connected to the adjacent frame end whereby said body sections may be brought together with the edge-walls thereof in engaged relationship in the closed position of the case and swung apart into flat coplanar relationship with the bottom in the opened posi- 3. A fiat-opening case comprising a'pair of body sections each formed on a U-shaped frame and provided with edge-walls at the top and sides, said frames being L-shaped, in cross section with one flange thereof forming the outer edges of said edge-walls and with the other flange thereof directed inwardly of the associated body section, a bottom connecting the two body sections, the ends of the side edge-walls and of said frames being free relative to said bottom, and a hinge member associated with each of said frame ends, each member having one extremity hingedly connected to said bottonrand the other extremity connected to the inwardly-projecting flange of the adjacent frame end whereby the body sections may be brought together with the flange-formed edges of said edge-walls in contacting relation in the closed position of the case and swung apart into flat coplanar relationship with said bottom in the opened position.

4. A flat-opening case comprising a pair of body sections each formed on a U-shaped frame and provided with edge-walls at the top and sides, said frames being L-shaped in cross section with one flange thereof forming the outer edges of said edge-walls and'with the other flange thereof directed inwardly of the associated body section, a bottom connecting the two bodysections, the ends of the side edge-walls and of said frames being free relative to said bottom and a hinge member associated with each of saidmframe ends, each member having one extremity hingedly connected to said bottom and the other extremity connected to the inwardly-projecting flange of the adjacent frame end, one of said frames being of such di mensions as to snugly embrace the other to effect weather-proof closure of the case when said body sections are brought together, said sections being adapt-ed to be swung apart into flat coplanar relationship with said bottom in the opened position of the case. I

5. A flat-opening case comprising a pair of body sections each formed on a U-shaped frame and provided with edge-walls at the top and sides, said frames being L-shaped in cross section with one flange thereof forming the outer edges of said edge-walls and with the other flange thereof directed inwardly of the associated body section, a bottom connecting the two body sections, the ends of the side edge-walls and of said frames being free relative to said bottom, and a hinge member associated with each of said frame ends, each member having one extremity hingedly connected to said bottom and the other extremityconnected to the inwardly-projecting flange of the adjacent frame end whereby the body sections may be brought together with the flange-formed edges of said edge walls in contacting relation in the closed position of the case and swung apart into flat coplanar ,,relationship with said bottom in the opened position, said hinge members, in the closed position of the case, being adapted to lie flat against said bottom to provide for unobstructed space within the case, and being adapted, when the case is opened out, to project upwardly of said bottom to support said edge-walls and maintain aligned relationship thereof.

CHARLES J. SCHELL. 

